American Sign Language Video

Reflection

Technology has always been a big thing when it comes to teaching. Students coming into the classroom have way more knowledge then the teachers trying to teach. I feel that using technology to help students learn is a great way to get the students involved. Getting them active and involved is a way to make school not so boring. Using the smart board, using videos, and using interactive websites are just the start of what teachers can do. If you do not include technology in your classroom, I believe that you are only hurting yourself. Students thrive on technology. Why not use it to teach?

            I do not see myself as a technology expert; most of the time computers freeze up on me or do not work. So taking this class I feel that my ability to use technology has grown. I now know tons of ways to get the students involved in learning and I can use some of the information I have learned while teaching. At the beginning of the semester I had no idea what a Wiki was or how to use it. Now I am making my own Wikis with no problem. I can make movies and I also know where to go to get great ideas and resources. At the end of the semester, I feel that I have widened my knowledge of technology and can take what I learned and put it into action in the classroom.  

Podcasting

What is a podcast? A podcast is a series of digital files that are downloaded from the web. Podcast can be made through the phone and can be downloaded from a website to be used for many different uses. Podcast can be used in the classroom in tons of different ways. First of all, students can make their own podcast because it is quick and easy. If I want the students to make a speech or give a presentation, I can have them make a podcast and then play each clip for the rest of the class to listen to. I could also use podcasts for when I am not at school. If I know I am not going to be at school I can easily make a podcast of directions and what I expect out of the students. I can also make a lesson and have the students listen to the lesson through a podcast so they do not fall behind on our class schedule.

            Some pros of podcasting are that I can be in the classroom when I am not there. If I miss a day I can record my lesson and then the students can listen to it when I am gone. Another pro of podcasting is that it is easy to use and the students can use it and I can incorporate their podcast into the lessons. Thirdly, podcast can be used anywhere and not just in the classroom. People can use it for entertainment and for schooling. There are tons of ways to use it. A con of podcasting is that computers and software can always shut down and sometimes it cannot work. Also, you must have a backup plan just in case it does not work. Lastly, podcasts which are useful when the teacher is not there cannot be a replacement for teaching. I can see some teachers using podcasts instead of teaching.

Ethics

Ethics is defined as a system of moral principles either for a group or an individual. Ethics is usually taught through religion, but it can be taught in the classroom also. As a teacher ethics will not affect my work. It is easy to teach it through rules like be respectful, do no harm, and be fair. These are just a few rules that students should already be following in the classroom. I feel that ethics can sometimes be a touchy subject, but if it is taught in a correct manner it shouldn’t affect the students or my colleges. But when dealing with others, there is always going to issues that some parents and other teacher do not like. So some may not agree with your choices and you just have to explain to others that you mean the best and that you are not having students pick your side.

Some pros of being concerned with ethics are is that you have a standard of living and want to uphold that standard. Also, if you are concerned with ethics you are more aware of your environment and what is going on around you. So you notice things that some people may not notice. Some cons of being concerned with ethics are that some people may think that you are trying to change their views. Some people may think that ethics is not a topic to discuss and some may find it something to argue about. People have different opinions and sometimes opinions from others get in the way.

Virtual Tours

A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location. Normally, virtual tours are video images that viewers can look at and can also have multimedia elements. A virtual tour allows the viewer to feel like they are moving around the location and allows the viewer to visit a location without leaving their house.

            How can I use virtual tours when I’m a teacher? I feel that virtual tours are a great way to let the students see what is outside of the classroom without having to go outside of the classroom. I feel that it is very easy to find virtual tours on a lot of different events and instead of just standing in front of the class talking I can allow my students to look around a building or place by their selves. I feel that when I teach about events or places that have virtual tours, I will use them inside of my classroom so the students can get a picture of what I am talking about. Virtual tours can be used in classrooms for a lot of different things.

            Some pros of virtual tours are that they can save schools a lot of money. Instead of taking field trip, teachers can show a virtual tour and see the same thing. Also, students can take tours on their own computer and can go at their own pace and still get to look around and read without being rushed or getting lost. Lastly, safety is a lot easier when you do not have to travel to the actually place. Some cons of virtual tours are that the students miss the whole experience of taking a field trip if they just use virtual tours. Students sometimes do not get to see everything that they could see in the actually building and seeing it in person could make the difference of a place being cool or not. Using computers means that you always have to consider what will happen if something does not work out, so if the internet is not working it will be hard to get to the virtual tour. Sometimes having a backup plan for a virtual tour could be difficult.

Teacher Websites

A teacher website is a site that includes all important information for parents and other resources. Teacher websites include teacher information, school information, contact information, classroom rules, and resources for parents. These websites are made by teachers and can be found on school websites.

            How can I use this when I am a teacher? A teacher website is a great way to get parents involved when they can’t come to the school. When I teach, I can use my website to lets the parents know what is going on in the classroom that week. I can also provide the homework assignments so the parents know what to work on that night for homework. I can also provide spelling words, just in case the student forgets their list at school. Lastly, I can provide all my information in an easy spot so parents can have the information just in case they lost the paper sent home at the beginning of the year.

            A few pros of teacher websites are that all information needed is provided in one place. It is quick and easy to get to and the teacher and the parents can have communication without meeting. Another pro is that parents can get to know the teacher and get to know what is going on in the classroom. Good teaching websites can make parents feel like they are actually in the classroom. Some cons of teacher websites are that like everything else on computers things can go wrong. The internet can go down and then parents can’t get to the website. Also, if parents do not have the internet or a computer at home, it would make it very difficult to check the website often and to stay updated if the teacher uses the website often.

Learning Styles

My top learning style is auditory. I actually do not agree with this result because I am very visual and feel that visual learning is the best learning way for me. I do not do well in a lecture setting and I don't take in a lot of information when people are just talking at me. I like to be active in my learning and listening just doesn't cut it for me. I guess the choices I picked fell in the auditory section but I feel that I am more visual than auditory.